As soon as Emma Yin finished speaking, everyone in the room looked at her with amused, almost mocking eyes.
Cecilia Gu stood gracefully to the side, calm and composed.
She showed neither a look of schadenfreude nor a victorious smile.
She gave the organizers plenty of face, elevating her own family while also giving her in-laws an even higher status. Everyone was satisfied.
Mrs. Kerr was even more pleased.
What a pity, the Yin family's kid got ahead of her.
Only a daughter-in-law this good is worthy of marrying into a wealthy family.
Helen Jiang discreetly tugged at Emma Yin's sleeve, signaling her to start introducing the donation she brought.
Emma Yin, unwilling to back down, immediately began her explanation: "The painting I brought today is a work by Leonardo da Vinci from the Italian Renaissance."
Pfffft—
The people below couldn't hold back anymore. Even the most dignified ladies and heiresses just couldn't help themselves!
If that painting could really be called a work from the Italian Renaissance, then any random doodle they made might as well be from the Shang Dynasty!
Seeing everyone's reaction, Emma Yin's face turned ashen.
How could this happen!
Weren't they supposed to mock Cecilia Gu?
The painting Cecilia Gu presented was clearly the one Emma had switched, yet everyone acted like they were admiring a world masterpiece and showered Cecilia with compliments.
Why, when she revealed the real deal, did they mock her instead?
Emma Yin grew up in Norway, where the culture is open and she was always praised by those around her. She never learned the essence of Chinese tradition, and now, faced with this situation, she couldn't hold it together.
"Hey, are you all blind? What's so funny? Am I wrong?" Emma Yin snapped, interrupting everyone's laughter without a hint of politeness.
Well, now she had offended everyone.
Cecilia Gu finally let a faint, ambiguous smile appear in her eyes.
Cecilia Gu’s eyes finally flashed with a sly, almost-smiling look.
Who knew Emma Yin was such a pro at getting herself into trouble!
Emma Yin’s face turned even more sour.
What’s that supposed to mean?
What exactly does Ethan Yin mean by that?!
Emma Yin instinctively whipped around to look!
On the giant LED screen, that childish painting was front and center.
Emma Yin’s mind went totally blank when she saw the painting.
How could this possibly happen?!
No way, this can’t be happening!
Hadn’t she already switched this painting with Cecilia Gu’s?
So why did it show up in her own gift box?
What the heck is going on?
Helen Jiang turned to look too—and was completely stunned!
She never saw this coming!
Helen Jiang shot Emma Yin a sharp look. Emma freaked out and blurted, “I swear I switched this painting with Cecilia’s, so how did it end up here?”
The moment Emma Yin said that, the whole room exploded in chatter!
Right then, Emma Yin realized—she still had a mic on!
Oh no, I’m screwed.
Everything she said probably got broadcast to everyone through the mic, didn’t it?
Helen Jiang’s face was ashen too.
Mrs. Kerr snarked, "Looks like Second Master Yin really couldn’t hack it in Norway, so he sent his daughter here to fake being an heiress."
Mrs. Kerr’s words were downright savage, and Emma Yin’s face turned ghostly pale.
The socialites and heiresses around started whispering, shooting Emma Yin looks full of disdain.
Both from the Yin Family—one was respected by all, the other was mocked and shunned.
Emma Yin never thought her night would end like this.
Tonight was supposed to be her big debut back home. She’d brought her family’s priciest painting just to fit in with these elites!
But how did it all go so wrong?
Instead of being welcomed by high society, she’d been completely shut out.